Buying a Home? Here’s What You Should Know About Home Insurance Costs.

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 30, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

If buying a home is on your radar, you’ve probably been keeping an eye on mortgage rates and home prices. But don’t forget about homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance has always been part of owning a home. But over the past few years, it’s become a larger expense for many homeowners – something that’s especially frustrating when affordability already feels tight.The good news? While premiums are still rising, the latest data shows those increases are beginning to slow. Here’s what buyers should know.Home Insurance Costs Have Gone UpYou’ve probably heard...

Home Price Growth Slowed Down. That May Be Changing.

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 30, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage, Selling Tips.

After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again. And depending on whether you’re buying or selling, that shift means something different for you.The Numbers May Be Starting To TurnFor the past couple of years, home price growth has been moderating – cooling from around 7% in mid-2024, according to Redfin (see graph below). But look at the right side of that graph. The pace of that growth appears to have hit its low point and started to turn.While a couple months of data...

Selling a Luxury House? Here’s Why Now Is a Good Time

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 30, 2026. Posted in Downsize, For Sellers, Home Prices, Luxury / Vacation, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage, Selling Tips, Senior Market.

If you own a luxury house, you’re in a stronger spot than most sellers right now. While much of the market has cooled, the high-end tier hasn’t. Sale prices and buyer demand are both up. So if you’re considering selling, now could be a great time to make your move.Luxury Is Leading on PriceLet’s start with prices. But before we get into it – what actually counts as a luxury home? Generally, these are homes in the top 5% price range for the area, so it varies depending on where you live.But what’s interesting is that according to the latest data from Redfin, sale prices for...

14 Years Running: Why Real Estate Is Still America’s Favorite Investment

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 18, 2026. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Rent vs. Buy, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn’t changed in 14 years. It’s real estate. And this year, that answer comes with even more conviction behind it. New data shows people aren’t just saying homeownership is a smart move, they’re feeling better about it than they have in years. Let’s dig into why.Real Estate Takes the Top Spot – AgainEvery year, Gallup asks Americans to name the best long-term investment. And for the 14th year in a row, real estate came out on top (see graph...

Think Nobody’s Buying Homes Right Now? Think Again.

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 18, 2026. Posted in For Sellers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage, Selling Tips.

If you’ve been thinking about selling, you’ve probably seen plenty of headlines suggesting buyers have just about disappeared. But there’s a big difference between a slow market and a stalled one.Yes, mortgage rates are still higher than most people would like. Homes aren’t selling as fast as they were. And every week seems to bring another headline about buyers sitting on the sidelines. But here’s what you haven’t heard.Despite everything going on, buyer demand has been remarkably resilient.In fact, more sellers are getting to put up the “pending sale” sign...

The “Take It or Leave It” Attitude Is Fading from the Market – What That Means for You

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 15, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, New Construction, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage, Selling Tips.

Negotiations are back. More buyers are asking for better deals, and more sellers are giving them. Builders are throwing in extras, too. That’s why whether you’re buying or selling today, there are two terms you’ll hear a lot: concession and incentive.A concession is something a seller agrees to during negotiations to get a deal done.An incentive is a perk a builder (or a seller) advertises upfront to attract buyers.Let’s run through what you need to know about both and how they could play a role in your move.More Sellers Are Agreeing to ConcessionsAlmost half (46%) of homeowners who sold...

What To Expect from the Housing Market in the Second Half of 2026

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 15, 2026. Posted in Affordability, For Buyers, For Sellers, Forecasts, Home Prices, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

If the first half of this year has left you feeling stuck, you’re not the only one. Mortgage rates stayed higher than people wanted. Affordability remained tight. And uncertainty overseas added another layer of pressure nobody saw coming.That’s why so many people are asking the same question: Will the second half of the year be any better for the housing market?While nobody has a crystal ball, there are a few encouraging signs things could start moving in a better direction. Here’s what to watch.Mortgage Rates Could Be Near a Turning Point One of the biggest reasons...

Student Loans Are Back in the News. Don’t Let It Put Your Homeownership Plans on Hold.

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 15, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

Student loans are back in the spotlight. And whether you’ve been following the headlines closely or just catching bits and pieces here and there, there’s a good chance they’ve been on your mind lately.And if you’re questioning whether you have to hit pause on your plans to buy a home, here’s the thing you have to remember:Having student loans doesn’t automatically mean buying a home has to wait.The Biggest Myth About Student Loans and Buying a HomeOne of the most common misconceptions among first-time buyers is that they have to pay off their student loans...

Down Payments Are Smaller Than They’ve Been Since 2021

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 5, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

Saving for a down payment can feel like the hardest part of buying a home. And with affordability as tight as it’s been lately, it’s fair to wonder how anyone manages it right now. Here’s something you may not have seen coming. Some people are getting their foot in the door with a smaller down payment.According to Realtor.com, the typical buyer put down about $23,400 in early 2026 – that’s around $5,000 below what was typical the year before (a 19% drop year over year). That’s the lowest down payments have been since 2021 (see graph below):So why are buyers putting less money down,...

The Housing Market Is Stronger Than You Think

Written by Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on July 5, 2026. Posted in Equity, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Home Prices, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Santa Rosa Beach, Santa Rosa Beach Mortgage.

You’ve probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately. High rates. Stretched budgets. Headlines that make buying or selling sound like a terrible idea. But the data tells a very different story. This isn’t 2020 or 2021. It was never going to be. Those were the “unicorn years” – historic low mortgage rates, bidding wars on everything, homes flying off the market in days. That kind of market was a once-in-a-generation anomaly, not a baseline. So, when people compare today to that, of course it looks rough.But compared to almost any other...

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